Friday, January 15, 2010

"The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus" Review

"The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus" should have been a layup for director Terry Gilliam, who by narrative design essentially gave himself free reign to create the sort of incredible dark fantasy worlds he's known for, but the film is as rickety as the thousand year-old doctor himself, with flaws that reach above and beyond the loss of star Heath Ledger, who died halfway through the production. What really kills "Parnassus" is, ironically enough, a lack of imagination.

Maybe chalk it up to a folly of the digital age, but seeing Gilliam, who animated the charming collage sequences for "Monty Python's Flying Circus" way back when, and crafted the practical models, sets, and effects for "Brazil," resort to CGI feels flat out lazy. The truth is that the physical set design for Dr. Parnassus' circus trailer, a sort of large scale pop-up book, is far more imaginative than the world that exists on the other side of his magic mirror. These dreamscapes generally feel empty, with giant, computer-generated symbols of their visitor's subconscious floating desolately in a brightly colored vacuum. The environments lack tactility, giving everything the rounded, plastic look of recent Tim Burton films. Really the only thing that would have made the sequences interesting would be to have seen them achieved practically.

But what really makes "Parnassus" a disappointment is its plot, which begins subtle, minimalistic, and intriguing, and spirals into talky, convoluted, and boring. Gilliam structures the script not in the traditional arc, but rather in an upside-down pyramid, piling layer upon layer until the story can't help but topple. To begin, there's the traveling imaginarium, run by the titular Dr. Parnassus (Christopher Plummer), his daughter Valentina (Lily Cole), his barker Anton (Andrew Garfield), and the diminutive Percy (Verne Troyer). Then there's a romance between Valentina and Anton. Then Parnassus makes a wager with the devil (Tom Waits, in a standout performance). Then the gang comes upon the amnesiac Tony (Heath Ledger--though Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell complete his unfinished scenes). And that's only the first forty minutes. The plot lines coalesce into a volatile stew, eventually boiling to a fever pitch that all but sinks the movie.

As with even the greatest of Gilliam's failures, however, "Parnassus" offers something unexpected, which in itself can't be undervalued. The director's sense of ironic timing and bourgeois satire is still very much intact, and setting the film in present-day England makes for an often striking juxtaposition of skyscrapers, supermarkets, and sideshow chic. Gilliam opens strong, with a raucous fight scene between adolescent drunkards and the mysterious imaginarium crew. Unfortunately, the more he tells us about the characters, the less interesting they become.

The end result is a film that will be fortunate to find an appreciative audience. There were a few walk-outs during the screening I attended, and I honestly couldn't cast much blame. "Parnassus" is a film to recommend to Gilliam fans alone, only some of whom will likely come away with a positive impression. Like with 2005's "Tideland," the director alienates viewers from inception through his defiant strangeness, which is a welcome and unique trait compared with the marginal creativity of Blockbuster X, but only when backed by assured storytelling. Gilliam's writing has never been his strong suit, but his last two films in particular have felt under and overwritten, respectively.

It's tough to beat up on Gilliam though, whose repeated misfortunes and singular artistic voice make him a compelling underdog, and "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus" should not be outright dismissed for the risks it takes and successes it enjoys, equal as they may be to its failures. It's not brilliant, but it's different. And for some, that'll be enough.

About Us

Colin George

Captain & Host

Colin graduated from film school into a world shockingly devoid of film-related jobs. He makes the best of this curious anomaly by lending his expertise to the internet. God help this poor, misguided fool.

Brian Crawford

Local Favorite

The Kremlin with gremlins named Melvin/ Who all want to be local fave/ Were sent to the grave/ For they misbehaved/ And I was given the title.

Kevin Mauer

Studio Manager

Kevin is a guy. He likes reading, writing, and reading about writing, but he HATES writing about reading. He also likes movies and is quite prone to watching films.

Jonathan Mauer

Adventurer Extraordinaire

After spending six months hiking the Appalachian Trail, normal life is dull by comparison. Jonathan wards off the dulldrums as a cash register jockey for the populous chain REI, working the third shift at QVC, and watching TV shows (that may or may not be Law and Order) while probably drinking excessive amounts of alcohol (with or without Suman). Sometimes he writes and takes pictures.

Suman Allakki

Knucklehead

Suman has inhabited six countries, is not a citizen of the US, but IS a licensed pilot. Suman can be found watching bad movies on Xbox (via Sonic's Netflix account), running marathons, drinking excessive amounts of water, and avoiding the law. Currently moving back to glorious Princeton, NJ.

Sonic Kim

Co-host (when applicable)

A pseudo student in Drexel University's Film and Video program, Francisco Sonic (yes, that's his real middle name) Kim is currently taking a hiatus from film school to, well, make films. Sometimes he says funny things.

Tyler Drown

Friend of the Show

Tyler Drown was born some time ago and learned to be cool through hard work and perseverance. One day he realized some films are more enjoyable and better made than others. In 2009 he was granted a degree in International Business and Entrepreneurship and a minor in World History & Politics. Fresh from Amman, Jordan, Tyler is now making a life for himself in New York City.

Brian Johanson

Big Apple Corespondent

Some call him haggard. Others, a demon in the sack. To some he is known as the guy watching them sleep as he mutters to himself. But most people just call him Brian.

Maggie Ruder

nth Timer

Maggie does a wicked good impression of a filmmaker. Currently she works as the Design Director of the Philadelphia Film Society/Festival, as well as doing graphic, environmental and production design for various organizations in and around Philadelphia. She enjoys free paper samples, reading in the hammock and long walks in third world countries. Maggie will be in the Philippines for the next year working for the art department of a feature film.

Sometimes she presses buttons and turns knobs when Micah isn't around. Other times she is suckered into hosting when everyone else is busy. When not dwelling on how woefully poor she is, Laura spends her time playing with her parrot, teaching herself about podcasting, and delving into the wonderful world of post sound.

Micah Haun

Master of Sound

When he isn't making sweet animations or foul comments about Apple products, Micah is commander of the Almighty Firepod, keeping voices from peaking, volume from rising, and our love of films from getting just a little bit TOO loud.